LCD display elements typically include a liquid crystal that is encased by means of an adhesive rim between two optically translucent cover plates. An electrode assembly in matrix form, with row and column electrodes, usually in strip form, is positioned between the two cover plates. The strip-type row electrodes are separated from one another by separation areas, and the strip-type column electrodes are separated from one another by spacing areas. The areas in which the row and column electrodes cross over one another, with the liquid crystal between them, define the individual pixels of an LCD display element.
FIGS. 11 and 12 schematically illustrate two prior art variants of this type of pixel matrix configuration. FIG. 11 shows one matrix LCD display element similar to the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,293 to Hirikata et al. The LCD display element 100 is rectangular and has a left lateral edge 101, a right lateral edge 102, an upper lateral edge 103 and a lower lateral edge 104. The reference numeral 106 designates the adhesive rim, which attaches the two optically translucent cover plates to one another, thereby enclosing the liquid crystal. A matrix-type electrode assembly 108 is provided within the boundaries of the adhesive rim 106. Matrix-type electrode assembly 108 has five strip-type, rectangular row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5, which are arranged in parallel, one on top of another. Between each of the individual row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5, a strip-type separation area 110 is provided that electrically insulates the row electrodes ZE from one another. The electrodes are positioned within a single plane on the interior side of one of the two cover plates.
Perpendicular to the row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5 are five strip-type, rectangular column electrodes SE1 through SE5. The column electrodes are arranged on the interior side of the other of the two cover plates, within a single plane. Strip-type spacing areas 112 are provided between each of the column electrodes SE. The spacing areas 112 electrically insulate the column electrodes SE from one another. The areas in which the row and column electrodes ZE and SE cross over one another, with the liquid crystal between them, define the individual pixels 114 of the LCD display element. The area of these pixels 114 designates a viewing field 116, in which information can be optically displayed. The row and column electrodes ZE and SE are activated via row leads Z1 through Z5 and column leads S1 through S5, respectively. The row leads Z1 through Z5 and the column leads S1 through S5 contact the strip-type row electrodes ZE and column electrodes SE, respectively, at one of their ends. The row leads Z1 through Z5 contact the row electrodes ZE1 through ZE5 at their ends, which lie in the vicinity of the left lateral edge 101. The column leads S1 through S5 contact the column electrodes SE1 through SE5 in the vicinity of the lower lateral edge 104. The column leads S1 through S5 are fed through the adhesive rim 106 in the vicinity of the lower lateral edge 104.
In a variant of the matrix LCD display element shown in FIG. 11, the row leads Z1 through Z5 are guided downward, within the boundaries of the adhesive rim, toward the lower lateral edge 104 to a contact strip 118. In the vicinity of the contact strip 118, the row leads Z are guided from the interior side of the upper cover plate to the interior side of the lower cover plate, where they also extend through the adhesive rim 106. FIG. 12 shows a variant of a matrix LCD display element in which the row leads are guided through the adhesive rim 106 in the vicinity of the left lateral edge 101 and remain on the interior side of the upper cover plate. United States Patent Application Publication 2001/0022640 to Nakahara discloses a process that uses electrically conductive particles in the adhesive rim to produce an electrically conductive connection between the electrodes on the interior sides of the upper and lower cover plates.
As a result of the configuration of the leads in both of these prior art LCD display elements, a comparatively wide, optically unusable margin is created in the area of the left and lower lateral edges 101, 104. When a plurality of such LCD display elements are arranged side by side, the LCD elements can be arranged flush against one another only along their lateral edges on which no row or column leads extend through the adhesive rim 106. In other words, with the conventional LCD display element shown in FIG. 12., only four LCD elements can be arranged side-by-side, one on top of another without disruptive margins. In the variant of the matrix LCD display element shown in FIG. 11, in the case of a linear, side-by-side, flush arrangement, the widened area between the left lateral edge 101 and the viewing field 116 also results in clearly visible margins, creating a non-uniform display or viewing field.
The variant of the matrix LCD display element shown in FIG. 11 also results in clearly visible margins. The linear, side-by-side, flush arrangement shown in FIG. 11 results in clearly visible margins in the widened area between the left lateral edge 101 and the viewing field 116 and creates a non-uniform display or viewing field.
In order to eliminate the clearly visible margins and other disadvantages of the prior art configurations, an LCD display element is sought that can be assembled to create a uniform LCD display panel with a side-by-side arrangement of individual LCD display elements. A corresponding LCD display panel is also sought.